Stanislas Wawrinka will be Switzerland's flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the Olympics on Friday after Roger Federer rejected an offer to carry the flag for a third time.

Federer was given the opportunity for the previous two Games but he has revealed that he wanted a teammate to experience the honour.

The world number one said: "Carrying the flag for me was something I never expected. It was a huge honour in my life to be able to represent Switzerland like that.

"I've done it twice and it would have been amazing to do it a third time but I just felt it was important to give someone else a chance. In Switzerland we believe that.

"I told the Swiss Olympic Committee that they should choose someone else and they chose my partner, Stan Wawrinka. It's a great, great honour for him. I couldn't have won the gold without him, everybody knows that. I think they chose the right guy."

Wawrinka will face Andy Murray in the opening round at the Olympics.